


Yuri, we must keep him

by classicpleistocene



Series: Otayuri Week 2017 [4]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Day 7, I hope this counts as fantasy, M/M, OtaYuri Week 2017, Other, Yuri can talk to cats, but eventually she loves Otabek because come on who could hate him, it's technically urban fantasy I guess?, no cats were harmed, the cat is jealous of Otabek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 03:09:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9949676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/classicpleistocene/pseuds/classicpleistocene
Summary: AU in which everything is the same except Yuri can talk to cats and it’s his cat’s POV.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Otayuri Week 2017 ♥
> 
> I really don't know what this is if we're being perfectly honest, but I have a fever so I'm posting this against my better judgement.
> 
> Find me on Twitter: [@cl_pleistocene](https://twitter.com/cl_pleistocene) or [on Tumblr](https://aftgonice.tumblr.com/).

They left me alone. _Again._

_“We can’t bring you to Barcelona, Koshka, you know the rules. Besides, it’s only a week.”_

Only a week, he said. A week with nothing to do, the whole house under my command and not even a tiny spider to play with. Someone comes and feeds me every day, gives me a pat on the head with their filthy hands and leaves right away. I tried to sneak through the front door once and they yelled at me. Stupid scum. How _dare_ they.

And how dare Yuri leave me all the time. What could even be more important than me.

A week, he said. Two more days without him, if I don’t die of boredom first.

***

I hear them coming through the front door. They interrupt my beauty sleep and I’m immediately annoyed. I must let it show so they know better next time. But part of me is excited to see Yuri, so I make my way downstairs and meow once.

“Koshka!”

I’ve never seen Yuri’s face like that. Who even knew he could smile so wide?

Ah, but of course. He’s happy to see me.

Lilia says something to him and he rolls his eyes because she can’t see him do it, but mumbles something in agreement and heads to his room.

I pretend not to be too eager to follow him. After all, I was _just_ headed for his room. What a coincidence. And isn’t it _my_ room after all?

He waits till I’m inside to slam the door shut, then grabs me and spins me around.

“Lizard’s tail, Yuri, put me down.”

“I won gold, Koshka! I won gold!”

“Great, can I eat it?”

“It’s _metal_ , you can’t eat it.”

“Then I don’t care,” I say, but I do. Whatever it means, I’ve never seen the kid so happy. “Put me down.”

He does, and lets himself fall on the bed. Despite myself, I jump on the bed and circle his head. He props himself up on his elbows and I see there’s more he wants to say.

“Koshka, I won so big. I beat Victor’s world record. The short program one. Katsudon beat the other one, that pig. Oh, and he almost retired but he won’t. And Victor is coming back so it’s going to be interesting now. But also annoying. Ugh. Katsudon will move here. I’m not looking forward to _that_ -”

He goes on like that for a while. I recognize some names, but I mostly have no idea what Yuri’s saying. He knows I don’t know, but I can be a good listener, and that’s what Yuri needs from me.

He plays absentmindedly with my tail until I don’t allow it anymore and move to lie on his pillow. He rests his head beside me, takes out his shiny brick and raises it above his head.

“Come on, look at the camera.”

Whatever that means, apparently I do it, because he lowers his arms with a satisfied sound, taps the object for a couple of minutes, puts it away and finally starts running his fingers through my fur.

He’s a good kid.

I purr instinctively and he knows he can go on and spill whatever else is on his mind, and from the way his voice becomes softer I know this is different.

“I made a friend.”

Uh-oh. This could be a problem.

“What do you mean, ‘a friend’?”

He’s leaving me. He made a better friend than me and now I’ll be stuck with this _Lilia_ and this _Yakov_ who don’t even understand me when I speak and I’ll be so lonely and-

“His name is Otabek,” he continues, and his voice really _is_ different than usual. “He is also a skater. He rescued me from the crazy fans and we talked a lot and he is so kind. You would love him.”

“Wait. He’s a _human_?”

He pushes me slightly. “Of course he is.”

Well, at least I won’t have to compete with another cat. That doesn’t mean I have to like this _Otabek_.

“And where is this…friend?” I hope he can hear my dislike for this whole situation more than my panic.

“He’s in Almaty of course. At least I think he’s already landed. Let me check.”

As if I know where that is. Yuri busies himself with the shiny brick for far longer than I would normally allow him to ignore me, but I’m torn between wanting attention and studying his happy face.

Whatever that brick does, Yuri likes it and uses it a lot, but now he’s not smirking at it like he always does. He’s genuinely smiling, and I don’t know what to make of it.

* * *

 

**Six months later**

 

It seems like a lifetime ago when Yuri started talking about Otabek, and he’s become a steady presence in our conversations.

More than that, he is part of our life. Once a week Yuri sits at his desk, holds me on his chest and tells me, “Say hello to Otabek.”

I don’t, but the big flat shiny box always replies “ _Privet, Koshka._ ”

I got scared the first couple of times, but now I understood that that’s Otabek’s voice. I’ll never admit it to Yuri, but I like his voice. It soothes me to sleep every time during their long conversations.

And today is the day he comes here. If Yuri hadn’t told me, I’d still know that something is about to happen, because he’s been cleaning his room and muttering to himself all day. He exudes excitement.

While Yuri is gone to pick him up, I make sure to walk all over what will be Otabek’s bed for the next two weeks. His room is next to Yuri’s. I hope he doesn’t snore.

I hear Victor’s car and prepare myself to have the house full of strangers.

Otabek’s voice is slightly different than when it comes out from the shiny box.

“Thank you for picking me up.”

Yuri hurriedly replies in Victor’s stead, “Yeah yeah, it was his pleasure. Come, I’ll show you your room.”

I run out of there before they get upstairs. I hide in the hallway behind Lilia’s precious vase for a chance to study the newcomer unseen.

He’s slightly taller than Yuri, black hair, black clothes. He looks tired, but I recognize something in his expression that I always see in Yuri’s whenever he talks about Otabek.

They disappear in the guest room and I dart from my hiding spot into the door before they have a chance to close it.

“Koshka!”

I look up at Otabek, my tail moving nervously.

“You’re in _my_ house. Don’t disturb me. Don’t snore. Don’t touch anything. Don’t hurt Yuri. Maybe I’ll let you live.”

He doesn’t understand me, but Yuri does. He picks me up and I feel how tense he is, but Otabek reaches for my- _ohh_ , right behind my ears.

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Koshka. You’re even more beautiful in person.”

Maybe I’ll only scratch him a bit.

I keep to Yuri’s room while they eat. Victor and Katsudon stay for dinner and I’m not comfortable with so many people around.

When they leave, I expect Yuri to come to me, but I hear his and Otabek’s steps walk past Yuri’s room and into Otabek’s.

 _Fine_. You can have him.

I go hide under Lilia’s bed.

***

The next evening, I have enough of hiding and keeping to myself. It’s time to make my way back to being Yuri’s favorite.

I find them ( _snakes,_ they’re inseparable) on the couch and I can see Otabek touching Yuri’s hair while they watch the huge flat shiny box.

I sneak up on them and jump on Otabek’s lap with my claws out. To his credit, he doesn’t even flinch. Instead, he starts scratching me in my favorite spots.

_Don’t purr. Don’t purr. You’re stronger than this._

I can’t resist any longer, so I resolve to move to Yuri’s side.

I observe them while I pretend to sleep. I’ve never seen Yuri so relaxed.

When the room goes dark, I expect them to just leave me here. Instead, Yuri says, “Come, Koshka. Let’s go to bed.”

In the middle of the night, Yuri wakes up and goes to the bathroom down the hall. I follow him out and see Otabek’s door slightly ajar, just enough for me to able to sneak in. He doesn’t wake up when I jump on his bed, and somehow I decide to keep sleeping here. 

In the morning, I feel his surprise at finding me next to him. He’s very gentle and tries not to move around too much. I make the mistake of opening my eyes just a little bit, and he realizes I’m awake.

“Good morning, Koshka,” he whispers.

“ _Morning_ ,” I meow. Not that he can tell.

“Are you hungry?”

That’s how I know he has his priorities straight. And mine too.

“Let’s go make some breakfast for you and Yura.”

“… _can I keep you?_ ”

“I think everyone’s still asleep.”

“ _As long as someone_ _feeds me…”_

“You meow so much this morning.”

Yuri finds us some time later in the kitchen, and by that point I’ve already decided that Otabek is my second favorite human.

“Yuri, we must keep him.”

He opens his mouth to reply, but of course Otabek can’t know he understands me.

Instead, Yuri proceeds to ask him how he slept.

***

In the next weeks, I grow attached to Otabek, and I can tell he adores me. I can also tell he adores Yuri and Yuri adores him, but somehow that doesn’t bother me.

I spend most of my nights in Otabek’s bed, but this evening I stay with Yuri. He’s crying and I know it means Otabek has to go the next day.

There’s a knock at the door, and Otabek makes his way in and lies down next to Yuri, holding him. Yuri cries even more now, and I get my claws out, ready to fight Otabek. He’s only my _second_ favorite human after all.

Yuri notices and cups my head in his hand. “It’s okay, Koshka. I’m only sad because he’s leaving. He’s comforting me.”

I relax and when I move to lie between them they make room for me.

***

The next day, Otabek is gone, and both Yuri and I feel his absence.

“Make him speak with the shiny box.”

“I can’t. He’s on the plane.”

“Make him come back.”

“He will be back.”

Tonight, I let Yuri hold me while he cries himself to sleep.

I miss Otabek, too.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this mostly as a writing exercise for myself, but since I decided to post it I would really appreciate it if you'd leave a comment to let me know how you liked it (or didn't) and just give me some general feedback, especially on the way I wrote the cat's POV.


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